This invention embodies the relatively new concept of the scratch-off game piece such as a lottery card or promotional ticket and combines that idea with the traditional game of draw poker. Thus a new form of the lottery game has been created in which the lottery ticket becomes a game piece which combines the added perspective of using a player's knowledge and familiarity with a skill game to enhance player interest. This additional versatility of the game piece raises level of interest above that of the conventional lottery ticket without adding any skill requirement to the game format.
The game of draw poker is generally played by dealing to each player five (5) cards. After viewing the cards and various players placing their bets, then each player is allowed to try and improve his hand by keeping some of the better cards and drawing new cards as replacements for the lesser valuable cards which are discarded. For example, if a player is dealt five cards with those five being a king and two queens and a four and a six, the player may want to discard the four and the six and retain a pair of queens with a king high hand in hopes of getting a full house or two pair or three of a kind or four of a kind. In that case, the player would draw two additional cards to replace the four and the six which were discarded. After drawing the two additional cards then the player decides to bet or fold or call.
It is on these principles that the game piece of the present invention is based. However, instead of being dealt cards from a deck, new cards are added by selectively scratching off an opaque layer to uncover the new card value. If the player selects a winning hand, the card is redeemed for a prize award.